Machine for pouncing felt hats.



No. 649,|43. Patented May s, wom

.1 STEWART, 1n MACH-INE FR PUNCING FELT HATS.

(Application tiled Oct. 19, 1896.)

(No Model.)

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MACHINE FOR POUNCING FELT HATS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 649,143, dated May 8,1900.

' 'Application filed October 19,1896. Serial No. 609,363. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES STEWART, J r., a citizen of the United States,residing at Yonk# ers, inthe county of Westchester and State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines forPouncing Felt Articles, of which the following is specification.

Heretofore in machines for pouncing articles of felt, as hat-bodies, thepressure of the pouncing surface or surfaces upon the felt hasordinarily been exerted by the operator usually through the medium of atreadle. An objection to this mode of operation has been the difficultyof maintaining a substantially-uniform pressure of the pouncing-surfaceagainst the felt, and consequently aspecial skill has been required ofthe workman. It is diiiicult even for the most expert workman to producewith such machines uniformly-well-pounced surfaces, and there has been,therefore, a considerable variation in the degree of perfection of thepounced surfaces of hat-bodies. It is apparent that from inexperience orcarelessness a workman might exert too great pressure, thus cutting awaythe surface too much, leaving it hard and bare, and that unequalpressures at different points upon the surface of the hat will producean unequal finish. It has also been proposed to force thepouncing-surface against the hat-body by spring-pressure; but theproposed organization was such that the spring was capable of forcingthe pouncingpad against the support carrying the hat, and therefore theobjections above stated would be present to a degree.

The primary object of my invention is to overcome these difficulties,and to that end I provide an organization in which the pouncing-surfaceis forced against the hat-body with a substantially-uniform lyetyielding pressure and in which the approach of the pouncing-surfacetoward the hat-support is limited by an adjustable stop, so that athespace between the support and pouncing-surface (and which is occupied bythe thickness or wall of the hat) cannot be reduced beyond the xedlimit.

I have shown my invention applied to a pouncingmachine of the generalcharacter disclosed in the patent of John O. Wilson,

No. 363,930, dated May 3l, 1887, and my invention includes also certainimprovements in the general construction of such `a machine in additionto the main -feature above mentioned. This patent shows a machine forpouncingshat-brims'so constructed that both sides of the brim arepounced at the same time during the passage of the brim between thepouncing-rolls whose surfaces travel in the same direction, but atdifferent speeds.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a side elevation of my improvedmachine; Fig. 2, a section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 asection on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

In this machine the pouncing-surfaces are formed on rotary conical rollsA A'. As here represented, the upper roll A is upon a hori- Zontal shaftB, having a pulley b for the reception of a driving-belt and mounted torotate in elongated bearings c in a frame C of suitable construction.The lower roll A' is upon an inclined' shaft B', which in this exampleof my invention is journaled at one end in afsleeve B2, having aprojection b2, with trunnions b', that have bearings in lugs on a plateor block B3, detachably bolted to the frame, and an accurate verticaladjustment of which is afforded by a screw b3, working in a bracket orprojection extending laterally from the frame. This adjustment is toinsure proper parallelism of the surfaces of the pouncing rolls. Theshaft B' is equipped with a 'driving-pulley D, and in this form of myinvention I intend that the two shafts shall be driven in the samedirection, but at dierent speeds, as suggested in the above-mentionedpatent of Wilson.

Projecting from the right of the frame C, below the lower shaft B', is abracket O', supporting a hollow cylinder G. Another hollow cylinder Hreciprocates within the cylinder G and forms therewith a telescopejoint. A bearing-block I, in which the shaft B rotates, has projectingfrom its bottom a cylindrical hub I', that fits into the upper end ofthe cylinder Il and is fastened thereto. A threaded vertical rod E2,passing through the tubes G H, is screwed into the block I, and a spiralspring J within the cylinders G I-I surrounds this rod and rests on theface of a plug F, loosely surrounding the rod and having a hand-wheeland an external thread which iits IOO an internal thread in the lowerend of the cylinder G. By screwing up or unscrewing the plug F thespring J is compressed more or less, and the pressure with which theroller A is forced upward maybe varied. A nut F runs on the threaded rodE2 below the plug F and may be secured in position thereon by aclamp-bolt f. By screwing the nut F up or down, its upper faceconstantly bearing against the plug F, the threaded rod E2 and all theparts secured to its upper end, as well as the roll A', are moved in avertical direction for adjustment. The nut F' serves as a back-stop forthe spring J. By means of a treadle E, connected with the rod E2 by alink E', the roll A may be drawn away from the roll A and the hat orother article inserted between them. When the treadle is released, thespring J returns the lower roll A to its working position, the upwardmovement being limited by the nut F. Of course the adjustment may besuch that the rolls may not be in contact, or the floating bearing I maybe permitted to rise suiiiciently to press the lower roll against theupper one.

The iioating bearing I of the shaft B may not afford sufficientstability and may permit a vibration of the roller end of the shaft thatwould be objectionable. I therefore provide a bearing for this shaftthat prevents lateral vibration while permitting vertical movement. Thisbearing, which is preferably an elongated one, may be constructed asfollows: On the frame below the shaft B I mount in any suitable manner aplate P, whose face is preferably parallel, or substantially so, withthe shaft. Vertical bearingplates P on opposite sides of the shaft areadj ustably attached to the plate P by bolts p, passing through enlargedopenings or slots in the feet or laterally-projecting bases of thebearing-plates. The bearing-plates may thus be adjusted to compensatefor wear and pre vent the lateral vibration or chattering of the shaft.

Q Q are guide-blades attached one to the frame and the other to thefloating bearing I.

From the foregoing description it will be observed that the spring Jaords a uniform and yielding upward pressure of the lower pouncing-roll,and consequently if the felt is `of uniform thicknesssubstantially-uniform results are obtained in the pouncing of itssurface or surfaces, and if the felt varies in thickness the yieldingspring permits the pouncing-roll to accommodate itself to suchvariations in such a way that a substantiallyuniform pounced surface isproduced.

It will be apparent thatany one who can properly feed the hats to therolls may operate this machine and that both the output and uniformperfection of finish will be increased.

I have shown a spring for determining the pressurezof thepouncing-surface upon the felt and prefer to use it instead of a weightbecause of its capacity for ready adjustment and the greater facility ofoperation afforded by its use.

I claim as my invention- 1. In a pouncing-machine, the combination ofthe pouncing device, means for forcing it against the felt with auniform yielding pressure, means whereby the pouncing device may bewithdrawn for the insertion of the article to be pounced and anadjustable stop for limiting the movement of the pouncing device underthe yielding pressure.

2. In a pouncing-machine, the combination of a pouncing-roll, itsmovable shaft, a spring for pressing the roll against the felt, andmeans by which the roll may be withdrawn against the pressure of thespring, and an adjustable stop for limiting the movement of thepouncing-roll under the action of the spring.

3. In a hat-pouncing machine, the combination with two rolls, one ofwhich is movable, relatively to the other, of a spring for forcing themovable roll toward or against the other, mechanism for regulating thetension of this spring, an adjustable stop for limiting the movement ofthe movable roll under the action of the spring, and a treadle andconnecting-rod for separating the rolls, substantially as described.

4. In a hat-pouncing machine, the combination with two rotarypouncing-rolls, their shafts, one of which has a rocking bearing at oneend and a iioating bearing at the other, and is movable relatively tothe other shaft, of a spiral spring supporting the floating bearing,means for regulating the tension ofthe spring, a connecting-rod andtreadle for separating the pouncing-surfaces, and a back-stop for thespring, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination with an adjustable spring supported floating bearingfor the movable shaft of a hat-pouncing machine, of a hollow cylinderwhich slides in asleeve se cured to the frame of the machine, a threadedrod attached to said bearing, a spring surrounding the rod, a nut onsaid rod acting as a back-stop for the spring, and a treadle fordepressing the bearing, substantially as described.'

6. In a hat-pouncing machine, the combination of a pouncing-roll, itsshaft having a rockin g bearing at or near one end and a iioatingbearing at the other, of bearing-plates normally rigidly but adjustablyconnected with the frame and arranged at opposite sides of the shaftthat permit the vibration of the shaft on the rocking bearing, butprevent play of the shaft at right angles to the plane of suchvibration.

7. In a hat-pouncing machine, the combination of a shaft rotating infixed bearings, its roll, a second roll and its shaft having a rockingbearing whereby a vibration of the shaft is permitted, a lioatingbearing for the latter shaft, adjustable bearing-plates at oppositesides of said shaft that permit such vibration but prevent lateral playthereof, a spring that presses the vibrating roll and shaft loo IZG

- Jcoward the rst-named roll and shaft, means In testimony whereof Ihave hereunto subfor adjuslting thefstrelangth of said spring, anscribed my name. adjustab e stop or imiting the play of the spring andmeans by Which the movable roll JAMES STEWART JR' 5 may be withdrawnagainst the pressure of the Witnesses:

spring for the insertion bet-Ween the rolls of EDWARD L. SCHULTZ, thearticle to be pounced. WILLARD H. GARRISON.

